Diosdado Macapagal

“ I express the hope that this congressional performance was not a mere involuntary recognition of an undeniable political fact, but a willful recognition of the need of setting aside political partisanship in this time of national crisis in the interest of bipartisan collaboration in the common task of providing, in the least time possible, a life of decency and prosperity for our people.
Above all, this mission requires the support of our people. No program can succeed without popular sustenance. ”

“ While ministering to all the traditional public services, it is in the accomplishment of these five missions that we must place stress and primary attention, for their solution will facilitate the effective aministration of all the essential public services the government is duty bound to maintain.
It is incorrect to say that we are out to solve all the problems of the nation. No president can do that. Nation-building is an exacting and endless endeavor. No president can build the whole edifice of a nation. ”

“ It is not our only task to solve the immediate problems of the present and build materially for the future. The structure of the Republic must be built not only upon material but more upon spiritual foundations. Our fifth mission, therefore, is to establish the practices and the example that will strengthen the moral fiber of our nation and reintroduce those values that would invigorate our democracy. ”

“ It is an endeavor that calls for the utmost use of sound judgment, energy and, above all, patriotism, which is demanded of all of us. It addresses itself to the leaders of the three great branches of our government. It requires, on the part of all, a transfiguration of attitude from political partisanship to statesmanship. In the deliberations of to Congress on the proclamation of the president and the vice president, the leaders and members of Congress demonstrated their capacity to rise above partisan politics and proved themselves equal to the challenge of patriotism. ”

“ The basic national problem is the poverty of the masses. Our third mission, therefore, is the creation of conditions that will provide more income for our people — income for those who have none, and more income for those whose earnings are inadequate for their elemental needs. Millions of our people are unemployed and millions more are underemployed. We must rectify this situation to help our people at tain a higher level of living and create the domestic buying power that can help generate prosperity. ”

“ This then, in synthesis, is our mission, the trust that has been placed in our hands by our people. We are called upon to attend to all functions of government, including foreign relations in which we shall vigorously discharge our part in the struggle against communism and strive to raise the prestige of the Republic before the family of nations. ”

“ The program will also aim at propelling the nation along the path of progress, first through the dynamic development of our resources under a system of free and private enterprise, and, second, by the implementation of a social program for the masses under the direction of the government. I strongly believe in placing the burden of economic development in the hands of private entrepreneurs with the least government interference, while making the government assume the full responsibility for implementing the social and public welfare program. ”

“ Our first mission is the solution of the problem of corruption. We assume leadership at a time when our nation is in the throes of a moral degeneration unprecedented in our national history. Never within the span of human memory has gralt peflmeated every level of government. The solution of this problem shall call for the exercise of the tremendous persuasive power of the presidency. I shall consider it, therefore, my duty to set a personal example in honesty and uprightness. We must prove that ours is not a nation of hopeless grafters but a race of good and decent men and women. ”

“ Within the maximum financial capacity of the government, we shall initiate and carry out a program to help solve unemployment and underemployment through massive productive and labor-intensive projects calculated to create multiple job opportunities while at the same time increasing the production, productivity and wealth of the land. ”

“ I shall, therefore, from this day onward vigorously exert all efforts to increase the productivity of the farmer and the laborer, to teach the common man scientific methods to lighten his burdens, to give land to the landless and in time, to place within his means the essential commodities for a decent living. ”

“ Our second mission is to attain self-sufficiency in the staple food of our people, namely, rice and corn. The elemental needs of every people are food, clothing, and shelter. We shall give impetus to indus tries that will provide clothing for our population at reasonable prices In collaboration wi th private enterprise, we shall invigorate the n tional housing program and devote particular attention to proper hous ing for our countrymen who earn the lowest income and the indigents who live under subhuman conditions. ”

“ We shall need that faith and that support demonstrated by our people in our election against appalling odds. The beneficent effects of some of the concrete steps that we shall take may not be immediately evident; what may, in fact, be instantly visible will be adverse but transitory repercussions that in time will clear the way for the final and favorable outcome. ”

“ Unless solved in time, this problem will worsen to the point of disaster in view of our population explosion.
The permanent solution to this problem is the rapid and sound utilization of our vast and rich natural resources in order to create opportunities for employment. We believe that the effective accomplish. ment of this task should be left to the citizens themselves, that is, to private enterprise. ”

“ While attending to the people's need for adequate clothing and shelter, the urgent emphasis shall be on their need for staple food With the cooperation of Congress, we shall launch and implement ,I rice and corn program that shall bring about sufficiency in the produ tion of these cereals and make them available at prices within the reach of the masses. ”